Annabel and Dave's Awesome Adventures: Walking from Dolgalleu

The estuary and the hills of Snowdonia beyond

We went for a walk/run from Dolgellau in northern Wales, we had been half hoping to do one in Snowdonia, but torrential rain and gale-force winds kind of put paid to that, I had packed for a wedding after all, not an ordeal!

Instead we did something much more sedate, a 15km run from Dolgellau out to Barmouth harbour. It was a great day for it, perfect temperatures. But again, as we had packed for a wedding, we weren't really kitted out. Which meant a few moments when I was thirstier than I would have liked. I know, who would have thought in an area as wet as north Wales.

Old bridge over the river

Dave in the Welsh bush

You follow the Mawddach Trail along the estuary to the coast at Barmouth, where you then cross the river mouth on a railway bridge. This is a disused railway line, which closed in 1969, it used to take Victorian holiday makers to Barmouth as well as carrying slate from quarries in the nearby area.

Dolgellau is slightly famous for having had a large Quaker population following a visit by George Fox. Though I don't think there are many Quakers living there now. When we reached Barmouth we discovered a country and western festival going on in the middle of town, which really isn't something you would expect in a tiny Welsh village. We didn't stay long, people were giving Dave funny looks in his running gear. I have read in the free newspapers here that a surprisingly large number of people don't like running because they don't like being seen in shorts. That's got to be one of the weakest reasons for not running I think I've heard. But perhaps it explains the funny looks Dave was getting, what with the shorts.

Very pretty estuary

I'll just leave you with some photos, it was a lovely excursion, and a nice change in the weather following the absolute bucketing we had the day before.